Q&A with Devils coach Jacques Lemaire

By KRISTIE RIEKEN

The Record

Devils beat reporter Tom Gulitti had an opportunity to speak on the telephone Wednesday with Jacques Lemaire about preparing for his second stint as the team's head coach and the start of training camp Sept. 12. Here are some highlights of their conversation.

Q: It's been 16 years since you began your first tenure with the Devils in 1993. Are things a lot different now?

A: "When I went there [the first time], it was a place that we had good times, we had great success, we had a lot of fun, and a team that was growing and doing well. It will be fun to go back."

Q: Have you spoken to team captain Jamie Langenbrunner or any of the other players since you were hired?

A: "No, I didn't talk to Jamie. The only guy that I talked to was Shanny [Brendan Shanahan] and I just saw [goaltender] Martin Brodeur at a golf outing."

Q: Was sitting down with Shanahan before the team re-signed him last week important to you?

A: "You always want to get to know the player, especially when he gets to a certain age [40]. I think it's really important to have a certain type of player and I feel that Shanny is like that. He's a good team player and I think that he still can score. He's always been a scorer [656 career goals]. As I mentioned to him, I'll give him the opportunity to let him do what he has to do to be successful and he told me that's all that he wants."

Q: Will Langenbrunner remain the captain or do you plan to rotate the captaincy as you did in Minnesota?

A: "I talked a little bit to [general manager Lou Lamoriello] about it and Jamie will stay as the captain. I've heard a lot of great things about him, the great leadership that he has, the work ethic that he has. I think he has all the tools to be a captain. When the team has success and is stable and they have their own captain, I don't see it proper to change the way they're doing things."

Q: Brian Rolston had three consecutive 30-goal seasons playing left wing for you in Minnesota, but struggled last year with the Devils as a center. Is he a wing or a center?

A: "Rollie is a winger in my estimation. He's a winger because he's got a good shot, he's got good speed and he can use his best assets to his advantage on the wing."

Q: If Rolston is a wing, does that mean the team needs another center?

A: "We will be looking for a center. When I talked to Lou about it, he says there's a few kids that will be there and have good potential. So these kids will be fighting for spots, which is good."

Q: How familiar are you with the organization's young players and do you foresee any of them making the team in training camp?

A: "I'm not familiar with them, but it doesn't take long and training camp will do it to see how a young kid can play. I feel there are always one or two kids that really stand out at the camp."

Q&A with Devils coach Jacques Lemaire

By KRISTIE RIEKEN

The Record

Devils beat reporter Tom Gulitti had an opportunity to speak on the telephone Wednesday with Jacques Lemaire about preparing for his second stint as the team's head coach and the start of training camp Sept. 12. Here are some highlights of their conversation.

Q: It's been 16 years since you began your first tenure with the Devils in 1993. Are things a lot different now?

A: "When I went there [the first time], it was a place that we had good times, we had great success, we had a lot of fun, and a team that was growing and doing well. It will be fun to go back."

Q: Have you spoken to team captain Jamie Langenbrunner or any of the other players since you were hired?

A: "No, I didn't talk to Jamie. The only guy that I talked to was Shanny [Brendan Shanahan] and I just saw [goaltender] Martin Brodeur at a golf outing."

Q: Was sitting down with Shanahan before the team re-signed him last week important to you?

A: "You always want to get to know the player, especially when he gets to a certain age [40]. I think it's really important to have a certain type of player and I feel that Shanny is like that. He's a good team player and I think that he still can score. He's always been a scorer [656 career goals]. As I mentioned to him, I'll give him the opportunity to let him do what he has to do to be successful and he told me that's all that he wants."

Q: Will Langenbrunner remain the captain or do you plan to rotate the captaincy as you did in Minnesota?

A: "I talked a little bit to [general manager Lou Lamoriello] about it and Jamie will stay as the captain. I've heard a lot of great things about him, the great leadership that he has, the work ethic that he has. I think he has all the tools to be a captain. When the team has success and is stable and they have their own captain, I don't see it proper to change the way they're doing things."

Q: Brian Rolston had three consecutive 30-goal seasons playing left wing for you in Minnesota, but struggled last year with the Devils as a center. Is he a wing or a center?

A: "Rollie is a winger in my estimation. He's a winger because he's got a good shot, he's got good speed and he can use his best assets to his advantage on the wing."

Q: If Rolston is a wing, does that mean the team needs another center?

A: "We will be looking for a center. When I talked to Lou about it, he says there's a few kids that will be there and have good potential. So these kids will be fighting for spots, which is good."

Q: How familiar are you with the organization's young players and do you foresee any of them making the team in training camp?

A: "I'm not familiar with them, but it doesn't take long and training camp will do it to see how a young kid can play. I feel there are always one or two kids that really stand out at the camp."